Two decomposed bodies, burned car found in Bwabwata

New Era has learned that two decomposed bodies were discovered on Sunday in the Bwabwata National Park in Kavango East Region by staff of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET).

It emerged on Sunday that as the MET officers were on routine patrol in the park that day, some 20 kilometres east of Divundu police checkpoint in the bushes not far from the Trans Caprivi-Zambezi Highway – perhaps less than 20 metres from the road – they detected some clothes lying about. After walking a few metres closer they discovered two decomposed corpses and alerted the police, who rushed to the scene that Sunday afternoon.

“After noticing some clothes the MET staff followed the tracks of the animals that had dragged the clothes and they then discovered the bodies after they walked further into the park,” said a police source.

According to a reliable source, who prefers not to be named, it was observed that the two deceased appear to have been murdered and dumped there. It is further suspected that whoever killed them tried to burn the remains and tried to hide the corpses in some holes, but seemed not to have succeeded because that person was probably in a hurry.

There were fire marks on the clothes of the deceased’s clothing and animals had clearly fed on the corpses and dragged one to where the MET staff discovered it.

A car in which it is suspected the two people travelled – which investigators identified as a Toyota pickup – was burned extensively. “The VIN number was used to identify who the car belonged to,” the source told New Era. The owner of the vehicle is known to New Era, but his identity cannot be revealed at this stage.

Acting regional crime investigations coordinator for Kavango East Detective Chief Inspector Chrispin Mubebo could not divulge any information, but New Era is informed that Mubebo was also at the scene on Sunday afternoon. “It is still premature to say what has happened,” he said this week. Investigations are said to be ongoing.